Great South gets $400,000 boost from Provincial Growth Fund

Tuesday, 24 September 2019

Great South chief executive Ann Lockhart.

Great South has been granted $400,000 by the Provincial Growth Fund to help the agency drive Southland's regional economic development aspirations.

The funding will allow Great South, which is Southland's economic development agency, to appoint a portfolio manager and a project support adviser, who will provide project management expertise and support to Provincial Growth Fund funded projects in Southland.

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Great South chief executive Ann Lockhart said the organisation was delighted to have the funding confirmed.

'The funds will not only support current projects but provide additional impetus for new projects yet to be announced by the PGF.'

Provincial Development Unit head Robert Pigou says the unit, which manages the PGF, prefers to invest in regional approaches and support local development agencies.

'Achieving successful regional economic development outcomes requires a degree of mass and scale of activity. We recognise that Wellington-based decisions don't always work at the regional level. We are aiming to empower regions to discover and develop their own solutions. Economic development agencies are particularly well placed to reflect local preferences and respond to local opportunities and issues.'

In July, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced $1.7m in funding for Southland from the fund, which would invest in air connectivity, water storage, business growth and economic development.

And in April, the Gore District Council received $3.7m in funding across two projects, the Maruawai Project, which will receive $1.6m, and $2.1 million for the Hokonui Huanui project, which ensures young people have the skills to take up jobs created from Southland's growing economy.